Lyman, W. D. "An Illustrated History of Walla Walla County, State of
Washington." W. H. Lever, Publisher, 1901. p. 365.
BENJAMIN W. MARCY
a fruit grower, one-half mile west of McMinn's drier, a pioneer of 1861,
was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, January 27, 1834. When he was but two
years old the family moved to the vicinity of Beardstown, Illinois, then a very
new country, and there Mr. Marcy grew to maturity and was educated. His mother
died when he was seven years old and his father when he was seventeen. He then
stayed with his sister about a year, after which he set out across the plains to
California, traveling with ox-teams. The emigration from the eastern states was
heavy that year, so that his train never was out of sight of wagons ahead or
behind. Arriving in California August 20, 1852, Mr. Marcy at once proceeded to
the placer mines, where for a short time he worked for wages, getting six
dollars per day. Soon, however, he engaged in mining on his own account,
following this as his occupation continuously for nine years. In August, 1861,
he came to the Walla Walla valley. For the first three months of his residence
here he busied himself in shooting prairie chickens for the market, and when
winter came on he engaged in hunting deer for the same purpose. Next spring he
went to Florence, Idaho, on a prospecting trip, but that summer he and his
partner went to Camass Prairie, Idaho, and engaged in making hay, for which they
got one hundred dollars per ton. Returning to Walla Walla in the fall, Mr. Marcy
squatted on a claim of one hundred and sixty acres on Cotton-wood creek, where
for the next nineteen years he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. In addition
to his homestead he also became the owner of a half-section of railroad land on
the Oregon side of the line, and a quarter-section of school land. He sold the
last of this real estate in 1890, and in 1892 purchased seventeen acres, upon
which he is now raising fruits, berries, etc. Mr. Marcy possesses the true
pioneer spirit. He has the resourcefulness, courage and ability to make the best
of circumstances, for which the first settlers of any country are usually noted,
and he has contributed his full share-towards the subduing and civilizing of
this section.
In 1864 he married Miss Ellen Artheion, a native of Iowa, who died in 1873.
Of this marriage five children were born, three of whom are still living:
Carrie, wife of John Savage; Charles, a farmer; and Dwight, also a farmer. Mr.
Marcy was again married, in 1875, the lady being Mrs. Emma Lilly, nee Campbell,
a native of New Jersey, and they are the parents of six living children:
Charlotte, now Mrs. Herman Flaherty; Martin, May M., Nellie C, Pearlie P. and
George W.; also of one named Claude, deceased.
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Submitted to the Washington Bios. Project in June 2008 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.